


In Love and Death, We Don't Decide

by Sparksrise



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:42:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21973777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparksrise/pseuds/Sparksrise
Summary: Beacon is buzzing with New Years celebrationsBlake and Yang are missing old traditions but maybe they find some new ones in the process.Short one shot
Relationships: Bumbleby - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	In Love and Death, We Don't Decide

“I’m so excited!” Ruby all but yelled as she continued her pacing around the dorm. “Finally, a party that doesn’t involve stupid lady stilts. I can wear my hood and it’s outside so I can leave, and no one will notice!” 

“You sound more excited about your ability to leave the party than attending the actual party Rubes.” Yang said, chuckling from her spot on her bunk. “Shouldn’t we be enjoying any down time we can get?”

“Hence the leaving the party early."

“I think we have different definitions for enjoying downtime,” Yang said as she grabbed her scroll to check if team JNPR were at the party yet.

“Are you two ready to go yet?” Weiss called from the bathroom. 

“Weiss the party is literally on our doorstep, you can hear the music from here. Plus, midnight isn’t for another four hours. We have time.” Yang answered.

“So that’s a no then.”

“Fine” Yang sighed. She hopped down from her bunk and stretched. “I’m ready! Come on Weiss you’re holding up the party, I’m pretty sure Blake has finished a book and started a new one since you started getting ready.”

Blake suppressed a laugh as Weiss let out an audible huff from the bathroom, making sure that Yang caught her eye roll in the bathroom mirror. 

The students who organised the whole thing really out did themselves. The stalls that had popped up for the vytal were open for business and fairylights hung between all of them. All of the other students were milling between them or on the makeshift dance floor. Yang and Ruby were on the floor before Weiss could even suggest finding a seat at one of the stalls, only joining them on the dance floor for a few songs. Yang would occasionally catch Blakes eye as she danced with Ruby and Nora, she could tell there was something on her partners mind but glad that she could still manage to get her to smile with some ridiculous dance moves.

Eventually Nora wandered off with Ren to find food and Ruby went to find Penny, so Yang and Blake went stall hopping. They went to every stall that offered food and tried at least one thing from each, only feeling minor guilt at taking advantage of so many free samples. By the time they returned Yang wasn’t sure what hurt more, her face from laughing or her stomach from all the noodles they ate. As soon as they were within sight of the dancefloor again Nora pounced on Yang. She heard Blake giggle as she was dragged towards the dance floor by a far too energetic Nora. Yang couldn’t understand how this girl could eat so much and never feel the need for a food coma. They Danced for a little while longer, Nora again failing in her attempts to get Blake on the dance floor for more than a song or two.

When it was getting close to midnight Yang realised that Blake wasn’t perched at the bar on the edge of the dance floor anymore. Her partner hadn’t wanted to dance, and Yang wasn’t about to force her but she wanted to be with her for the fireworks. It was their first new year celebration as Beacon students, as partners and she didn’t want to miss a second of it. 

She searched the crowds quickly and asked everyone she came across if they’d seen her. 

“Last time I saw her she was with you.” Weiss had answered. 

“Sorry Yang, I was talking with Penny. I didn’t see where she went. Let me know when you find her okay?” Ruby said.

It was Pyrrha who had ended up helping her the most. So, of course she ended up asking her last. 

“She headed towards the school I think, she looked a little uncomfortable. Does she have a usual spot she goes to when she wants some peace and quiet?” 

It had clicked in Yang’s head then. She knew exactly where Blake would go. She was annoyed with herself for not thinking of it sooner.

Yang got to the roof a few minutes later. As she had expected her partner was leaning against the low wall at the edge of the building, head tilted up towards the moon and eyes closed.  
It wasn’t like she forgot how beautiful Blake is, it was more like in some moments, like this one, it just hit her like a freight train. She was suddenly glad Blake’s eyes were closed, at least she didn’t have to worry about freaking her partner out with the dumb expression she knew was plastered on her face. She shook her head, trying to regain focus. Yang saw the bow on Blakes twitch slightly and knew that she had heard her as soon that she had stepped onto the gravel. 

“Hey, I was wondering where you disappeared to. It’s almost midnight.”  
“Oh, sorry I – uhm. I was just…thinking about home.”

“You miss it?”

Blake’s arms wrapped around herself tighter as she nodded. 

“I miss my parents.”

Do you want to talk about them? What they’re like? Did you have start of Spring traditions in menagerie? You don’t have to answer. Whatever helps.” Yang heard herself rambling like it was someone else talking and chastised herself.

Blake took a deep breath and looked up at the stars again. She was silent for a long moment and Yang started to worry that her partner would have preferred being left alone. 

“In Menagerie, there were always markets. The stalls were crowded, and a lot of Faunus come home from all over remnant for it. It’s tradition to spend time with the community but, when the final hours of the day are closing, everyone made time for the people that mattered most to them.” 

Yang could hear the emotion in Blake’s every word. She hadn’t looked at Yang once yet, but she could still see the tears starting to form. She moved a little closer to her partner but stayed quiet, letting Blake choose whether or not she wanted to talk more.

“When we were traveling with the White Fang, we usually had big bonfires with everyone. There was singing and dancing and when it was getting late, I’d sit with my parents in their tent and we’d talk or sit and just, enjoy being together. They used to say that it was a time meant for focusing on what really mattered, what you wanted the new year to bring and, strengthening the most important bonds in your life. To make sure they lasted another year.”

Blake closed her eyes for a moment, when she opened them again it seemed like she had finally succeeded in blinking back her tears. And she looked at Yang for the first time since she’d stepped onto the roof. Her heart clenched when she saw the sadness in Blake’s eyes, she felt like she would do anything to take the hurt she was feeling, to make things better.

“It, sounds like a beautiful tradition, Blake.”

“Are there any traditions out in Patch?”

“There used to be, when Summer was – 

Yang felt a lump in her throat and couldn’t finish her sentence.  
“When Ruby and I were younger, all of our neighbours used to come over, everyone would bring food and we’d talk or dance well into the first morning of the new year.”

“It sounds like fun.”

“It was, for a few years. But Summer was the real cook in the family. My father couldn’t bring himself to host the village anymore once she was gone. Eventually it was just us and uncle Qrow and some years was busy with missions. It wasn’t a super easy time of year.”

“I’m sorry Yang. Here I am complaining about missing my parents, but I chose to leave them, you didn’t get a choice.”

“No, I didn’t. But that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to miss your parents. I know it was more complicated than you just up and leaving Blake and when you’re ready, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to start these traditions again.”

A sad, small smile tugged at Blake’s mouth as she listened. She didn’t look like she was n the verge of tears anymore, and Yang didn’t want her talking too much about sad memories to change that. But she didn’t want to hide what she was thinking about, what she was feeling either, not from Blake. They so rarely got moments like this and even rarer was when she let herself talk about her past. An issue both of them shared. 

“In the meantime, you can talk about them as much as you want, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that the only thing worse than losing someone you love, is allowing yourself to lose them twice.”

“What do you mean?”

Yang took a breath. If she was being honest with herself, she hadn’t meant to say most of that. It had just come tumbling out without her consent. Around Blake, it was hard to hold up the walls she had put around certain parts of her heart. And she knew that if she wanted to show Blake that she could open up, she would have to deal with a few bad habits of her own.

“Have you ever, been to a funeral?”

Blake looked slightly confused by the question but nodded.

“Summer’s was my first. I remember everyone talking about her and sharing stories but every time I entered the room, silence. Everyone was too afraid to talk to me about her, worried that it would upset me or that I couldn’t handle it. But I wanted to know everything about her, I wanted to memorise every detail, so I’d never forget.”

Yang’s grip on the wall the both leaned against tightened. She took a deep breath before continuing, willing herself to not think about it too much so she could get through the story. 

“When people did talk to me about her, hearing stories I didn’t know about or learning things I didn’t know already felt weird at first, but I was grateful that I could still get to know her better. Even if she wasn’t the one telling me anymore. I guess that’s what funerals are supposed to do you know? They’re not about closing a door and saying goodbye to someone, they’re about finding them in places, you didn’t expect.”

Yang looked down at the celebrations happening below as she finished talking. Focusing in on the music that trickled up to them through the noise of the crowds, it helped to pay attention to the notes, taking a breath with each swell and letting it out with the next fall. 

“They can kind of be overprotective. My parents I mean. They mean well but sometimes a girl has to sneak out of her bedroom window to hang out with her friends past curfew once in a while.”

Yang chuckled as she focused back on Blake. “Sounds about right for you. You really miss them, don’t you?”

“More than anything. But, part of me wonders what they’ll say when they see me again. It’s been so long Yang. So many years without the chance to check in with them, to ask for advice or, make sure our bond would last through the next Winter.”

“They’re your parents Blake, nothing you could say or do or not do can change that. And besides, anyone who doesn’t want you in their life, they definitely need their heads checked. But until then, maybe we can start our own traditions. Like this, next year we’ll have fun at the celebrations but make sure we have the best seat in the house for the fireworks.”

“Can we add blankets to our tradition?”

Yang laughed, “Of course we can, and maybe some tea or hot chocolate too.” 

“Sounds perfect.”

"Yeah, it does.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had intended for this to be fluffier...whoops  
> The title is from a song called Lost by Dermot Kennedy  
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!  
> Feel free to leave a coment, I love reading any feedback or anything really  
> Find me on tumblr @Sparksrise


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